Packaging receptacle



,ug- 15., 1944- v. A. HU'rcHlNsoN 2,355,804

PACKAGING' RIGEPTACLE Filod Aug. 3. 1w

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. l5, 1944 A 2,355,804 PACKAGING RECEPTACLE Volney A. Hutchinson, Chicago, Ill., assignor toj- Teletype Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a. corporation of Delaware Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,799

(Cl. 20G-46) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to article handling and more particularly to article shipping containers.

An object of this invention is to provide a shipping container which will be compact and light and which will protect its contents from damage due to shocks received in transportation and handling.

In packing fragile articles for shipment, it is recognized that the articles should be spaced from the walls of the shipping container so that, should the container receive a jar in shipment, the jar will not be transmitted to the article. To effect a suitable spacing of the articles from the walls of the container, it has become customary to employ a second containing member located withink'rhe container and spaced a desired distance from its walls. In such an arrangement, due to the spacing of the containing members, a shock received by the outer member is largely dissipated before it reaches the inner member and hence is not imparted to any great extent to the contained article. However, even with the use of an inner containing member, there is a possibility of damaging the articles because the articles are held rigidly through a direct engagement with the inner containing member, and, when sufficiently large impacts occur, the effect may be as though no inner containing member were employed. l

This invention accordingly features reducing to a minimum the possibility of damaging articles by shock received in transportation and handling by providing a resilient mounting for the articles resting on a support within the container.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of an innercontaining member fitting loosely about or spaced from vthe contained article which limits the movement of the article supporting member `with respect to its support.

More specifically, in the embodiment of the invention disclosed there is provided a shipping container in which is placed an insert folded at two opposite ends to form tubular supporting members separated by a channel. The-formed insert is of such length as to extend from one platform upon which is securely centered a heavy positioning member is rested upon the tubular supporting members with the positioning member snugly fitting into the well to hold the platform from lateral movement in the container. The' article to be shipped may be secured to the supporting platform inany well-known manner but, preferably, it is held by bolts which extend through the platform and the attached positioning member. The article supporting platform and its positioning member are so proportioned that they do not touch the side walls nor the bottom of the container. The container is sufiiciently high that the article will not abut against the closure member when the carton is sealed. By thus properly proportioning the dimensions of the carton, article platform, and positioning member the article is oatingly mounted within the carton and its vibration under the infiuence of shocks received during transportation is not impaired by contact With the carton walls or closure members.

An inner containing member in the form of a tube is placed loosely about, preferably not touchwall of the container to the opposite wall but plete a Well. A thin, resilient, article supporting 55 ing, the article after the article and its support have been positioned within the container. This inner containing member extends from the article supporting platform to the closure of the container so that when the closure is applied, the inner containing member will be forced against the article supporting platform to hold the latter against its supports. This completes a resilient diaphragm type supporting structure for the article within the container.

The tubular supports are preferably trapezoidal in cross-section with the faces immediately beneath the article supporting member inclined away from that member rather than paralleling it. In this manner a line contact is afforded between the article supporting platform and its tubular supports and, hence, the resiliency of the structure is enhanced. Furthermore, should the article rock slightly due to its resilient mounting the tubular supports would not be damaged by the article supporting member as would be the case if they had a plane, rather than a line, contact with the article supporting member.

For a more complete understanding of one embodiment of this invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing wherein;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a printing apparatus housed in a container embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is across-sectional view of the container.

The container comprises an outer casing l formed of any suitable material such as corrugated or multi-cellular board. This casing is preferably one piece of material scored to permit folding into a rectangular shape and provided with flaps to afford closure members. The flap integral with each wall is approximately half the width of the carton so that when opposite flaps are folded in, the carton becomes substantially closed. That part of flaps to be folded in rst is known as the inner aps and the remaining are designated as the outer flaps. In assembling a carton to ship a printing apparatus unit, the carton blank is formed into a rectangular shape by folding on the score lines and one end is closed by folding the aps. The outer flaps are held closed and the seams are re-enforced by gummed tape Il. A flat rectangular sheet of fibre board |4, the same size as the internal dimensions of carton I0, may be placed inside the carton, resting on. the inner flaps.

An insert 20 of double faced corrugated board is provided with score lines 2|, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26, see Fig. 2, at each end which facilitate folding the ends into tubular supporting members 29, trapezoidal in cross section and separated by a channel. In scoring the blank to form this insert, the distance between lines 2| and 22 should be greater than that between lines 23 and 24. and lines 25 and 26 so that support face 2l will be inclined downwardly to the side of carton I0 when placed within the carton, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The diagonal 28 of each tubular support 29 gives the truss structure more strength and rigidity. 'Ihe length of this insert is such that the insert with its end folds will fit snugly within the carton I0 between the walls I2 and I3. In width the insert 20 is considerably smaller than the distance between the front and rear walls of the carton I0 and the insert is placed equidistant from the front and rear walls.

Additional inserts 30 (only one of which appears in Fig. l) are provided and are located adjacent to the front and rear walls of the carton in the spaces between those walls and insert 20. These inserts 30 are identical in cross section with the tubular end portions 29 of insert 2|) and need not be described in detail. Inserts 30, when in place, securely hold insert 20 against lateral movement and in co-operation with the supports 29 enclose completely the channel to form a well 3l, see Fig. 1.

An article supporting platform 35 of plywood or any similar material is provided and is of slightly smaller dimensions than the interior of the carton I0 but is considerably larger in area than the article to be supported. A relatively thick rectangular piece oi wood 36, conforming closely to the contour'of well 3|, is centered on platform 35 and secured thereto by screws or nails. The areas of block 36 and well 3| should be smaller than the area of the article to be shipped. The article may be affixed to platform 35 by means of securing bolts 3l which extend through block 36 and platform 35 into engagement with the article.

When the article has been secured to platform 35 and block 36, this assemblage is inserted into the carton, resting on supports 29 and 30. In this position the block 36 snugly engages the walls of the supports 29 and 30 which define the well 3|, holding the article against lateral movement and spaced from the walls of the carton and out of contact with the bottom of the carton. Due to the aforedescribed trapezoidal construction of the supports 29 and 30, a line contact is provided between the platform and each of its supports, see Fig. 2. With this construction if the platform 35 should be rocked slightly due to the resilient mounting of the article, the platform will not damage the supports 29 or 30. If members 29 and 30 afforded a surface contact with the platform 35, the platform, if it should rock slightly, might damage the supports 29 and 30 and cause at least a partial collapse of the supports.

With the article and its platform in position, a rectangularly shaped member 40, comprising an inner containing member is loosely fitted over the article. The tubular member is preferably of corrugated board. I'he length and width of member 40 at least correspond to the dimensions of the widest portions of the article in the two directions so as to afford a loose fit of the tube over the article and at the same time to assure that the inner container 40 is spaced from the walls of container I0. Preferably, member 40 is slightly larger in area than the article to assure that the article is not rigidly held within the carton by member 40. Tissue paper or other filler material may be placed loosely between tube 40 and the walls of the carton merely for the purpose of conning the tube to substantially rectangular shape.

After the tube 40 is in place, a flat rectangular sheet of fibre board 4I, the same size as the internal dimensions of carton l0, is placed inside the carton resting on tube 40. The height of tube 40, which is greater than the height of the article, brings its upper edge sufficiently close to the position which will be occupied by the inner flaps of the carton when they are folded in, that the 40 bre board sheet 4| will be engaged by the inner flaps to apply a pressure through tube 40 to the platform 35. This pressure, which is maintained due to the sealing of the outer flaps to close carton I0, not only secures tube 40 in proper position but also prevents lifting of platform 35 from supports 29 and 30 and thus completes the diaphragm mounting of the article on its platform. An additional fibre board 42 may be placed above fibre board 4| to take up space, if necessary, in order to insure that tube 40 is securely held in position.

With this construction the article is resiliently mounted so that shocks received in transportation or handling will be absorbed and not imparted to the article. At the same time, the article is securely held in position in the carton and will not be damaged through shifting. Since the mounting described keeps the article floating, not abutting the walls or end members of the carton, even indentations in the carton will not cause damage to the article. v

Although only one embodiment of the invention has |been described and illustrated, it is to be understood that the features of the invention may be rearranged and included within different embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:y

1. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members outlining a well at the lower end of the container, a supporting platform resting directly on said supporting members to receive an article thereon, a positioning member secured to said platform and located within said well for guiding said platform into position on said supporting members, and means extending vertically from said platform adjacent the edges thereof and contacting the top of the container for holding said platform on said supporting members and forming therewith a chamber for the article.

2. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members outlining a well, a resilient article supporting platformV resting on said supporting members and out of engagement with the walls of the container, a positioning member secured to said platform and located within said well, a closure member, and an inner containing member iitted loosely about the supported article and extending from said platform to the closure member.

3. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members, said members being trapezoidal in cross section, a resilient article supporting platform resting in line contact upon said supporting members, said line contact being made with a nonparallel side of said trapezoidalshaped support, and means for holding said platform on said supporting members.

4. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members, said members being trapezoidal in cross section, a resilient article supporting platform resting in line contact upon said supporting members and out of engagement with the walls of the container, said line contact being made with a nonparallel side of said trapezoidal-shaped support, and means for holding said platform on said supporting members.

5. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members outlining a well, said members being trapezoidal in cross section, a resilient article supporting platform resting in line contact on said supporting members, said line contact being made with a nonparallel side of said trapezoidal-shaped support, a positioning member secured to said platform and located within said well, 'and means for holding said platform on said supporting members.

6. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members, said members being trapezoidal in cross section, a resilient 4article platform resting in line contact upon said supporting members, said line contact being made with a nonparallel side of said trapezoidal-shalped support, and means for holding said platform on said supporting members, said means comprising a rectangular containing member iltted loosely about the supported article and spaced from the walls of the container, the lower portion of said contact on said supporting members, a positioning member secured to said platform and located within said well, a closure member, and an inner containing member fitted loosely about the supported article and extending from said platform to the closure member.

8. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members outlining a well, said members being trapezoidal in cross section, a resilient article supporting platform resting in line contact on said supporting members and out of engagement with the walls of the container, said line contact being made with a nonparallel side of said trapezoidal-shaped support, a positioning member secured to said platform and located within said well, means for holding said platform on said supporting members, said means comprising a rectangular containing member fitted loosely about the supported article and spaced from the walls of the container, the lower portion of said rectangular member being in contact with said platform, and means for retaining said rectangular member in contact therewith.

9. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members outlining a well, a resilient article supporting platform resting in line contact on said supporting members, a positioning member secured to said platform and located within said well, said platform and positioning member holding the supported article out of engagement with the walls and closure members of the container, and means for holding said platform on said supporting members.

10. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members outlining a well, a resilient article supporting platform resting in line contact on said supporting members, a positioning member secured to said platform and located within said well, said platform and positioning member holding the supported article out of enrectangular member being in contact with said l platform, and means for retaining said rectangular member in contact therewith.

7. A shipping container comprising a plurality of supporting members outlining a well, said members being trapezoidal in cross section, a resilient article supporting platform resting in line gagement with the walls and closure members of the container, a closure member, and an inner containing member fitted loosely about the supported article and extending from said platform to the closure member.

1l. A shipping container comprising a plural- ,ity of supporting members outlining a well, a resilient article supporting platform resting in line contact on said supporting members, a positioning member secured to said platform and located within said Well, said -platform and positioning member holding the supported article out of engagement with the walls and closure members of the container, means for holding said platform on said supporting members, said means comprising a rectangular containing member tted loosely about the supported article and spaced from the walls of the container, the lower portion of said rectangular member being in contact with said platform, and means for retaining said rectangular member in contact therewith.

VOLNEY A. HUTCHINSON. 

